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If it’s been a long time since you had a professional teeth cleaning, you may have noticed hard, chalky buildup on your teeth, or you may notice that your gums are red, swollen, and sore. Even if you don’t notice these signs of gum disease, your dentist may say that you need a specialized cleaning. But what is scaling and root planing, and what should you expect from the process? Our team is proud to provide gentle, comfortable care for anyone looking for a deep cleaning from a dentist in Gilbert or Phoenix.
This post explains what scaling and root planing is, and what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.
What Is Scaling and Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing is a specialized type of dental cleaning that focuses on removing hardened deposits and bacteria below the gum line. Sometimes called a “deep cleaning,” this procedure is an important step in treating gum disease effectively. Done early enough, it can even prevent the need for more invasive procedures like gum surgery!
Why does my dentist say I need a deep cleaning?
To understand why we may recommend scaling and root planing in Phoenix or Gilbert, it helps to understand how gum disease happens.
Plaque and tartar buildup
It starts when bacteria build up on the teeth, creating a sticky substance called plaque. These bacteria release substances that irritate the gums, causing them to become inflamed and weakening their attachment to the tooth roots. It can also cause chronic bad breath and cosmetic changes to your smile.
If the plaque is not removed regularly, it absorbs minerals like calcium and phosphorus from your saliva and hardens into tartar (which is called calculus by dentists). Once plaque turns into tartar, you can’t remove it with a toothbrush and floss at home. It takes specialized instruments and careful techniques to remove tartar appropriately.
Gum inflammation and bone loss
As you lose the strong attachment between the teeth and gums, it creates a pocket where plaque and tartar can build up below the gums. This causes further inflammation and damage, and can lead to bone loss, loose teeth, periodontal infection or abscess, and tooth loss over time.
Timely scaling and root planing can stop this process from progressing and restore stability to your smile. Let’s take a look at what happens before scaling and root planing, including how your deep cleaning dentist in Gilbert and Phoenix determines whether it’s the right approach for you.
What to Expect with Scaling and Root Planing
Like every procedure at Dental Specialty Associates, we work hard to make the gum disease treatment process as simple, comfortable, and convenient as possible. Here’s how the process works.
1. Diagnosing the problem before scaling and root planing
The first step in determining whether you might need scaling and root planing in Phoenix or Gilbert is a thorough examination. Our team will carefully evaluate your gums, teeth, and dental and medical history.
X-rays are a key part of this process because these images frequently allow us to identify hardened deposits below the gum line that can’t be seen just by looking in the mouth. These images also show us if you have lost bone volume.
Detailed measurements of the gums tell us how deep the pockets are, and special instruments called explorers enable us to feel the texture of the roots of the teeth to locate deposits, even if they’re too small to see on an X-ray.
2. Keeping your comfortable during scaling and root planing
For many people, scaling and root planing is their first experience with a dental cleaning after many years without dental care. This may mean that your gums will be inflamed and tender or your teeth may be more sensitive.
Before we start your deep cleaning, we’ll discuss your options for staying comfortable. In many cases, this may involve local dental anesthesia (numbing). If you have dental anxiety, talk to us! We provide sedation options to ensure every visit is completely comfortable.
3. What to expect during your deep dental cleaning
Scaling and root planing involves two main parts:
- Scaling is a technique to remove plaque and calculus from the teeth.
- Root planing smooths the roots to provide a healthy surface for the gums to reattach.
Depending on your specific situation, we may recommend scaling and root planing only for specific teeth that have isolated deep pockets or heavy deposit.
However, if you have generalized bone loss and heavy build-up under your gums, we may split your scaling and root planing into multiple phases. For example, we may clean one half of your mouth one day and the other half another day.
We may use several types of instruments, such as an ultrasonic scaler to gently break up deposits and flush out the pockets and hand instruments for fine details.
4. Recovery after scaling and root planing
After scaling and root planing, your teeth may feel sensitive for the first day or two, and it may be uncomfortable to bite or chew. Your gums may also feel sore, swollen, or tight at first. We’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions for deep cleaning, but these tips usually help:
- Avoid eating until the numbing has completely worn off.
- Take appropriate over-the-counter pain medications for your health status.
- Gently swish with warm saltwater or prescribed mouthwash as instructed.
- Keep up with good brushing and flossing habits to help your gums heal.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, and chewy foods for the first few days.
- Try not to eat spicy, acidic, or extremely hot foods for the first day or two.
- Avoid tobacco products as much as possible for at least 72 hours after your procedure.
If you have any questions or concerns about recovering after your scaling and root planing in Phoenix or Gilbert, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team! We’ll be there to help you heal as comfortably and effectively as possible.
Don’t Let Gum Disease Steal Your Smile
We understand how overwhelming it can feel to consider gum disease treatment, especially if you haven’t been able to see a dentist in a long time. At Dental Specialty Associates of Arizona, it’s our mission to help you enjoy a lifetime of great oral health.
Scaling and root planing is a minimally invasive, proven approach to treating periodontal disease. The goal is to prevent further damage and minimize your need for more complex procedures later. In many cases, deep cleaning can restore lasting stability and help you keep your natural teeth. If you struggle with gum disease, get in touch with our team to schedule a consultation for scaling and root planing in Phoenix or Gilbert!
